Apparatus for telephone toll-lines.



No. 698,972'. Patented Apr. 29, |902.

T. n. LAINE. A APPARATUS FOR TELEPHUNE TDLLYLINES.

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N0. 698,972.. Patented Apr. 29, i902.

A T, R. LAING.

APPARATUS FOR-TELEPHONE TOLL LINES.

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.UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THADDEUs R. LAING, OFl CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,v AssIGNOR To KRAFT COMBINATION TELEPHONE COMPANY, `or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A

CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

A-PVPARATUS FOR TELEPHONE TOLL-LINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent -ivaeeggsw.2, dated April 29, 1902.

Application iiled June l0, 1901.

citizen of theUnited States, residing at Chicago, county ofCook, State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Apparatus for Telephone Toll-Lines; and I declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description ofthe invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the saine, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates in general to telephones, and more particularly to telephoneA instruments which are designed to receive a` coin or other toll-piece in payment for'thense of the telephone and to eflect a signal at theV central station when a coin or toll-piece of the proper character has been deposited.

It isv customary in telephones of the type mentioned for the user-to call up the operator ata central station in the usual manner by removing the receiver from its supportinghook and to deposit the necessary coin or toll-` piece only when informed by the operator at central that conversation' may be had with the desired subscriber. This procedure has proved objectionable for several reasons, among which may be mentioned. the u'nnecessai-y loss of .time to the operator at central due to the delay frequently occasioned by the user not having a coin kof the proper denomination to deposit when notified to do so, and consequently having to secure the requisite coin. Anotherobjection often results from -persons inexperienced in the use of such telephones depositing the coin or toll-piece before", removing the receiver from its support, and hence the deposit of the coin is not indicated to the operator at'central, which occasions ser'in No. 63.913. (Numan.)

ated by acircuit controlled by the operator at central.

The object of my invention is to construct terior of the 4casing of the instrument, where vit may beV regained by the user, such result being obtained by an electrically-controlled switch operatively located in part in a local circuit and in part in a circuit controlled by the operator at central. 'i

A further Object of my invention is to provide an apparatus which will be simple in construction and eiiicient in operation.

f The invention will be more fully described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in whichthe same is illustrated as embodiedin a convenient and practical form, and in which- Figure l represents a side elevation of my invention; Fig. 2, a vvertical longitudinal section through the center of'Fig.-1; Fig. 3, a fragmentary view showing a portion of my invention in vertical section, the switch being in a position to permit the coin to fall into the chuteleading to the cash-box; Fig. 4, a view similar to Fig. 3, in which lthe switch is shown in a position to permit the coin to pass lthrough the chute leading to the cup which is accessible to the user; Fig. 5, a plan view of the upper end of the chut-es, the switch, and armature for actuatingthe same. Fig. 6 illustrates diagrammatically my invention ,in its relation with`so much of the telephone apparatus at central as is necessary to show 'the operation thereof, and Fig, 7 shows a j ackplug and the leads' connected theretog' Similar reference characters indicate' the same parts in the several fign resof the drawings. j

Reference-letter A designates so milch of the casing or cabinet of the instrument as is necessary to illustrate the connection therewith of my invention.

A indicates vertical supports forming part of or secured to the casing, to which are fastened brackets a and a'. The bracket ct supports the lower end of a high-resistance magnet B, the upper end of which is secured to the under side of a portion A2 of the casing by means of a screw or other suitable attaching device. The bracket 0.' serves as a support for the lower end ot a small low resistance magnet B'. Pivotally supported between the vertical sides A is an armature Z), located between the adjacent poles of the magnets B and B'. A rod b', rigidly secured to the armature b, has its ends journaled in the sides A', whereby an oscillatory movement of the armature Z) is permitted. A springrod f2 is fixed to the pivotally-supported rod b', so that when the rod b turns in its bearings upon either of the magnets B and B' being energized the spring-lingerf2 will swing upwardly or downwardly, according to which of the magnets is energized.

Cdesignatesa chute, the upperend of which is designed to receive a coin or other tollpiece. This chute is provided with projecting lugs c, between which is located a lng f, projecting from a circuit-controller F. A pivot-pin passes through the lugs c and f, thereby permitting the controller F to have a pivotal connection with the chute C. At the lower end of the chute C the upper ends of two other chutes C' and C2 unite in a common opening or mouthpiece C3. Within the mouthpiece Csis pivotallysupported a switch E, consisting of a vertical portion and an upper portion extending substantially horizontally therefrom. The switch E is secured at its lower end to a spindle e, journaled in bearings formed in the sides of the mouthpiece C3. One end of the spindle e has rigidly secured thereto a bell-crank lever e', to the lower end of which is secured a means for maintaining the bell-crank in normal position, such means being shown as consisting of a weight e3. The other arm of the bellcrank lever extends normally in a horizontal direction in alinement with the armature b. The spring-rod f2 is loosely secured tothe horizontal arm of the bell-crank lever c', so that the upward or downward movement of the spring-rod f2 will cause a corresponding upward or downward movement of the bellcrank lever and through it eiiect the oscillation of the rod e.

D indicates a receptacle into which the Ycoin may be delivered from the chute C.

The lower end of the chute C2 communicates with the cash-box or other receptacle.

Secured to the upper end of the chute C are spring contact-lingers K K', extending downwardly, so that their lower ends are adjacent to and in the path of movement of the upper end of the controller' F. The upper ends of the spring contact-fingers are suitably insulated froln the chute C.

At the right of Fig. (l I have illustrated diagrammaticallyso much of the apparatus at a centralstation as is necessary' to illustrate the operation of my invention.

M indicates the usual visual signal at central; H', the battery.

N and Nl are magnetic circuitclosers.

N2 and N 3 are the spring-contacts, adapted to be engaged by the jack-plug.

n', n3, n4, m, m', m2, m3, and m4 are leads forming the circuits, which will be hereinafter traced out.

P in Fig. 7 indicates a jack-plug adapted to be inserted in the collar P' to form the desired circuits in a well-known manner.

The operation of my invention is as follows: When it is desired to use the subscribersinstrulnent, a coin or othertoll-piece T-forinstance, a check or device of acharacter to cooperate with the apparatus-is deposited in the upper end of the chute C. The coin engages the lower end of the controller F, which projects through slots in the chute C into the path of the coin. The controller F is caused to swing about its pivot by the lower end being forced outward by the coin, so that the upper end of the controller will engage the spring-contact fingers K and K andcause them to contact with each other, thereby closing the following circuit local to the snbscribers instrument: battery H, lead Z', through the magnet B to contact-point g', through the receiver-hook R' or switch con- IOO trolled thereby to contact g, to lead Z2, to

spring-contact K, to controller F, to lead Z, back to the other pole of the battery II. This circuit energizes the magnet B', causing it to attract the end of the armature b,whereby the armature is rocked and through the spindle b', spring-ngerf2, bell-crank lever e', rod e, and the switch E is moved from its central position (shown in Fig. 2) to the position shown in Fig. 4, thereby permitting the coin to pass into the chute C' and thence to the receptacle T), from which it may be taken by the user. It is therefore evident that if the coin is deposited by the user in the chute C prior to removing the receiver from its supporting-hook the coin will pass through the instrument and out again into the cup D. It', however, the receiver R is removed from its hook, the local circuit above described will be broken by the arm R' rising out of engagement with the contacts g g. The passage of the coin in the chute C will therefore be obstructed by the switch E assuming the position shown in Fig. 2, in which it extends across the opening in the chute C, the switch E being held in such position, when neither of the magnets B B is energized, by means of the gravity or other device e3 and its lixed connection with the rod e, to which is rigidly connected the lower end of the switch E.

The coin when heldin the lower end of the chute by the switch E maintains the control- IOS ler N to be attracted, thereby closing the following circuitzlead m3, to lead'm, to signal M, which in this instance is an incandescent light, to lead m', to battery H, to lead mto lead m4, back to armature n. The signal M is consequently operated and the attention of thevoperator at central directed to-the fact that someone desires'to use the subscribers instrument corresponding'to the signal.

Ifaftertheoperatorhascommunicatedwith the prospective user it is ascertained that conversation may be had with the desired subscriber, the operator at central closes the following circuit through the magnet B: lead H2, connecting. with a source of high potential, through a switchp and lead Z7, to the end of the jack-plug, thence to the spring contact-finger n3, (the jack-plug having been inserted in its supporting-collar P',) thence to line L,through magnet B, through lead L3, to spring-contacts KK, thence to controllerF, to lead Z, to ground G; This cir- .cuit energizes the high-resistance magnet B and causes it to attract the magnet b, thereby moving, throughy the connections described, the switch E to the position shown in Fig. 3, which permits the coin or other toll-piece to pass through the chute C2 to the cash box or receptacle therefor. i

Z6 and ZT indicate the subscribersfline and Z5 a testing-line. Y y

' Mfindicates an incandescent lamp in the high-potential lead H2.

It should be noted that while the signal-circuit, whichis closed by the coin when it rests upon the-switch E,-includes the magnet B, such magnet is not energized sufficiently to .attract the armature Z9, owing to the low potential of the battery H at central.

The term toll-piece as used in the claims forming part of this specification is intended to designate a coin, a check, or any suitable device which may .be used to control the operation of the mechanism.

While I have described my invention as being embodied in a telephone system, I do not Wish to limit myself thereto, as I contemplate using my invention in other systems, nor do Iwish to limit myself to the particular circuits I have describedfor energizing the magnets B B, as it would be practicable to provide other circuits therefor, especially for controlling the magnet B', although I preferably would use alocal circuit controlled by the receiver-hook, as such an arrangement automatically returns the coin to the cup D upon hanging up the receiverin case theoperator at central has notified the user that the desired person cannot be couversed with.

While I have described more or less precisely the details of construction, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself thereto, as I contemplate changes in the form, propor- 'tion of the parts, and substitution of equivalents as circumstances may suggest or render expedient without departing from the spirit of my invention.

, Having now lfully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

.1. In a system of communication, the combination with a signal-circuit, of "means operated by a toll-piece controlling said ,cil-cuit, a local circuit, means in said local circuit controlling the transfer of the toll-piece from its operative engagement with said means,l and means for making and breaking said .localcircuit, substantially as described.`

2. In a telephone system, the combination with a telephone instrument, of means operated by a toll-piece for controlling a signal at a central station, a local circuit, means in said local circuit controlling the transfer ofthe tollpiece from its operative engagement with 'said means, and means for making and breaking said local circuit,substantially as dofscribed.

8. In an apparatus of the character described, vthe combination with a plnralityot IOO chutes, of means for controlling the passage i of an article into apredetermined-one of said chutes, an arm rigidly securedto said means, a pivoted armature normally in alinement with said arm, a resilient connection between said armature and said armand'a'plurality .of magnets for actuating said armature, and

an independent circuit for energizing each of said magnets.

IIO

4. In an apparatus of thelcharacter-dey,

scribed, the combination with a plurality of chutes, of a main chute communicating therewith, a switch for connecting lone of said communicating chutes with the main chute, an arm rigidly secured to said switch, an armayture for operating said switch, aspring-rod interposed between and operatively connect- .ing said armature and said arm, magnets located on opposite sides of said armature, and

kan independent circuit for each of said magnets.

5. In a telephone instrument, the combination with a plurality of chutes, of means for controlling the passage of a toll-piece into a predetermined one of said chutes, a plurality of magnets for actuating said means, alocal circuit at the instrument for energizing one of said magnets, a circuit for energizing the other of said magnets, and means for controlling each of said circuits, substantially as described.

6. In a telephone instrument, the combination with a plurality of chutes, of means for controlling the passage of a toll-piece into a predetermined one of said chutes, a plurality of magnets for actuating said means, a local circuit at the instrument for energizing one of said magnets, a controller for said circuit operated by the telephone-receiver support, an independent circuit for energizing the other of said magnets, and means for controlling said independent circuit, substantially as described.

7. In a telephone instrument, the combination with a plurality of chutes, of means for controlling the passage of a toll-piece into a predetermined one of said chutes, a plurality of magnets for actuating said means, a local circuit at the instrument for energizing one of said magnets, a controller for said circuit operated by the telephone-receiver support, a second controller for said circuit operated by the toll-piece, an independent circuit for energizing the other of said magnets, and means for controlling said independent circuit, substantially as described.

S. In a telephone instrumen t, the combination with a plurality of chutes, of means for controlling the passage of a toll-piece into a predetermined one of said chutes, a plurality of magnets for actuating said means, a local circuit at the instrument for energizing one of said magnets, contacts in said circuit adapted t0 be closed by 'the telephone-receiver When engaging its support, other contacts in said circuit adapted to be closed by the toll-piece, and means for energizing the other ot' said magnets, substantially as described.

9. In combination with an apparatus of the character described having an opening adapted to receive a toll-piece, of electrically-actuated means for transferring the toll-piece to a freely-accessible position, and means local to the apparatus forenergizing the said electrically-actuated means.

l0. In combination With an apparatus having an opening adapted to receive a toll-piece, of electrically-actuated means for transferring the toll-piece to a freely-accessible position, means located at the apparatus for controlling the said electrically-actuated means,

and other means for transferring the toll-piece to a position inaccessible to the public, substantially as described.

1l. In combination with a telephone instrument adapted to receive a toll-piece, of electrically-actuated means for transferring the toll-piece to a freely-accessible position, a circuit actuating said electrical means, and contacts for closing said circuit operated by the telephone-receiver support, substantially as described.

12. In combination witha telephoneinstrument adapted to receive a toll-piece, of electrically-actuated means for transferring the toll-piece to a f reely-accessible position, a circuit including said electrical means normally closed by the telephone-receiver engaging its support, and a controller in said circuit'adapted to be operated by the toll-piece to completely close said circuit and thereby actnate said electrical means, substantially as described. l

13. In combination Witha telephoneinstrument adapted to receive a toll-piece, of electrically-actuated means for transferring the toll-piece to a freely-accessible position, a circuit including said electrical means, a circuitcontroller operated by the toll-piece to close said circuit and thereby actuate the electrical means, and means for making and breaking said circuit, substantially as described.

14. In combination with a telephone instrument adapted to receive a toll-piece, of electrically-actuated means for transferring the toll-piece to a freely-accessible position, a circuit includingsaid electrical means, a plurality of circuit-controllers located at said instrument for closing said circuit through both of which the current passes to actuate said electrical means, substantially as described.

15. In a telephone system, the combination with a telephone instrument adapted to receive a toll-piece, of a switch controlling the transfer of the toll-piece to a freely-accessible position or to a position inaccessible to the public, a plurality of magnets for actuating said switch, an independent circuit for energizing each of said magnets, means whereby the user of the telephone may control the circuit energizing the magnet for transferring the toll-piece to a freely-accessible position, and means whereby the 4operator at central may control the circuit for energizing the magnet to transfer the toll-piece to a position inaccessible to the public, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification in the presence of two Witnesses.

TI-IADDEUS R. LAING.

Witnesses:

CHAs. T. FRAN'rz, J. MERCKENs.

IOO 

